


K: New World Awakened

by ChahanChi



Series: K: New World [2]
Category: K (Anime)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, M/M, and fushimi really saved him, misaki has a really big saruhiko complex, misaki has got some issues, misaki is a sad boy, no need to read part 1 if you dont want to, retelling of lost small world, scepter4 misaki, slight angst because you know what happens in the end, this is a stand alone fic, traitor misaki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-01-16 14:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 13,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18523207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChahanChi/pseuds/ChahanChi
Summary: Misaki had thought this new world of theirs would last forever.What if Misaki was the one who betrayed Homra and joined Scepter 4? How would it go? Why would it have happened?(A fic that retells the story of Misaki and Saruhiko in an AU where it wasn't Saruhiko who betrayed Misaki, but the other way around)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yo readers! I'm back with a new fic, because i just couldn't let this idea go and wanted to explore it a bit more. I watched the lost small world movie and couldn't help but seeing it in a different light if the same events unfolded but the other way around. Many people say that Misaki is a very simple and straightforward character, and it's usually Saruhiko who has the most issues to sort out, but I think that Misaki could have the potential to become a deeper character than we think, so I just wanted to give it a try~

Misaki wasn't a coward. He refused to be called that.

Doesn't matter what people tell you. Misaki is ABSOLUTEY NOT hiding in the boy's bathroom stall, legs tucked to his chest, clutching his PDA tightly in his hands and skipping class because he didn't want to face those fake friends he thought he could have actually belonged in.

_Does he actually think we're his friends?_

Misaki frowns. They weren't good friends to begin with!

_HA! Who would want to be friends with a loser like him? Loooool_

He curls up even in on himself. Who the fuck even uses "lol" these days anyways? They're the losers.

_Misaki is just a baby! Baby girly Misaki who doesn't belong anywhere in this world!!!_

...Okay maybe that one kinda hurt. Maybe everything kinda hurt. Doesn't matter what Misaki did, those people would never like him. He should just move on from that and not care, but if Misaki had to be honest...

He did care. He cared a lot. It's so hard to put everything into a person only to realize in the end you were nothing to them... and for no reason at all. Just because of who you are. And why did they have to fake it? It was a waste of everyone's time if they don't like him and never will.

...Ah dammnit! Misaki wasn't going to cry in the fucking bathroom! Misaki is furiously rubbing at his eyes when he hears the high pitched "pew pew" sounds coming from the stalls next to him.

"What the- who the hell's skipping class to play video games?" Misaki mutters to himself.

Well, Misaki for one, as he glances at his own PDA. He sure hopes the guy didn't hear any of that episode he was having, but figures the dude would have said something if he did. Slowly, Misaki stands on the toilet and peers over at the next stall.

"F-Fushimi Saruhiko!" Misaki exclaims, and said boy jumps at the call of his name.

"What a pervert," Saruhiko mutters and Misaki turns completely red.

"W-W-WHA...! N-NO I'M N-NOT! I didn't mean to startle you! I-it's just that you're Fushimi Saruhiko right? We're in the same class..." Misaki trails off when he realizes that Saruhiko had already stoped listening to him.

Misaki had just gotten alienated by half of his peers, so he knew that Saruhiko was giving him that "dont talk to me aura," but Misaki couldn't help but be entranced by the game Saruhiko was playing, and when Misaki got into things he could get a bit...enthusiastic.

"OH OH YOU ALMOST GOT 'IM! A LITTLE MORE TO RIGHT! OH SHIT NICE ONE! ACK- THAT WAS CLOSE!" Misaki was cheering loudly in the bathroom, jumping from time to time because he was too short to see over the stalls. (Try telling that to his face if you want a slow and painful death)

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP?" Saruhiko shouts at him and Misaki freezes.

"R-right sorry..." Misaki apologizes softly and sliding back onto his spot in his stall on the toilet.

Misaki doesn't mean to be such a little girl, but the words just sent him back into his spiral he was in before he got into that game. Misaki was nothing special. The world hated him so he had to hate it back. But why was he so alone? Just what did he do-

"...if you really want to watch that bad, get over here and use the door. It's annoying to have you peaking from above me," Saruhiko's voice and clicking of his tongue breaks whatever spiel Misaki was getting in to, and Misaki's eyes widen, before a bright smile graces his face.

Misaki hops out of the stall and turns to the right where all the sounds were coming from.

Misaki had a gut feeling that this time, he was opening up a door to an entire new world better than the one he was in, and that would change his life forever.

He just never expected the door would be a bathroom stall.


	2. Chapter 2

Since that day, Misaki could proudly say he never regretted a single thing. Sure Saruhiko was as comforting as a prickly cactus, but Misaki figured he was like that to everyone and just the fact that Saruhiko allowed Misaki around him made Misaki feel...special. 

 

Misaki knew he was probably the most normal student, with a normal family, and normal grades, and normal middleschool problems. Misaki never felt special. 

 

But just the fact that Saruhiko looked at him made him feel like he was somebody. 

 

Being friends with someone who is friends with everyone is nothing special, but when someone who pushes away everyone else but keeps you... it was the best feeling im the world.

 

"The entire world can go and die," Saruhiko tells him once while they ate lunch on the rooftop and stared at the clouds. 

 

"Yeah," Misaki agrees leaning against the wall. 

 

This world with Saruhiko is all Misaki needed. The rest of the world that hated them could go and disappear.

* * *

 

When Misaki got a love letter from Oogai Aya in his locker, his first instinct was to run to Saruhiko. 

 

"Don't hand me your trash," Saruhiko deadpans.

 

"F-F-Fushimi! It isn't trash! I found it in my locker! W-what do I do?" Misaki is clutching on to Saruhiko's sleeve, begging the poor boy smack dab in the middle of the hallway. 

 

"It's probably just chain mail or spam-" Saruhiko is trying to say but stops when he reads the letter Misaki was waving in his face.

 

"Aya? Wait a minute-" Saruhiko frowns, but can't finish his sentence as another human ball collides into them. Luckily, neither Misaki nor Saruhiko fall to the floor, but for the attacker, not so lucky. 

 

"Owie! Michaki so innocent!" The girl giggles, and Saruhiko clicks his tongue. 

 

"Tch, you."

 

"Hmph. Well I'm not here for you either!" She squeaks and Misaki stares back and forth at them in confusion.

 

"Do you both know each other...?" Misaki asks Saruhiko, but he doesn't reply, much preffering to cross his arms and avert his eyes. 

 

"Anyways! My name is Oogai Aya, and Aya sent you that letter~ Will you come with me today?" Aya cuts to the chase, and Misaki is a blushing stuttering mess, not sure which part of what she said he should react to first. 

 

"M-MY NAME ISN'T MICHAKII! DON'T SAY IT LIKE THAT IT'S G-GROSS!" Misaki attempts to yell that out, but it's more high pitched than he intends it to be. He runs to hide behind Saruhiko and doesn't care about the consequences when he was in a do or die situation.

 

"A-ANYWAYS! N-no can do I'm hanging out with Saruhiko tonight," Misaki announces and ignores to the best of his abilities, Saruhiko's raised eyebrows.

 

"Saruhiko."

 

Misaki turns back at her sharp tone.

 

"You haven't been showing up in the Jcube ranking." Aya's eyes narrow.

 

"Hmph I got tired of it, so I quit" Saruhiko tells her not even looking at her.

 

"Scared of losing to me? Running away while you're ahead is called being a coward." 

 

There is a tense silence where Misaki just stares at both of them and this silent stand off. Then Aya just humphs and disspells the tension.

 

"Whatever I got better things to to do than Jcube."

 

Aya opens her PDA and shows Misaki the mission. 

 

"Make contact with the mystery airship?" Misaki reads aloud, but couldn't read the rest of the mission, as strange notifications started to pop up in front of the text.

 

Aya frowns when the notifications start popping up on her phone.

 

"It's a groupchat I'm not in...

 

The groupchat were tons of people all bad mouthing her,and it hits Misaki straight in the gut, his own experience with a group chat like that coming back to him, and he knows he can't say no now. 

 

"...Whatever. I don't care about that. What I care about, is this mission! So will you do it Michaki-wucky?"

 

"Ugh...fine. BUT NO MORE MICHAKI SHIT! I AINT COMIN IF YOU KEEP SAYIN THAT. MY NAME IS YATA! AND FUSHIMI COMES WITH US!" Misaki finally relents, and when Aya cheers and moved to glomp him, Misaki already prepares and evades, hiding behind Saruhiko again. Misaki already said he was a prickly cactus, so he's pretty useful as a shield. 

 

"Why are you roping me into this..." Saruhiko sighs but in the time Misaki has been with him, he could now tell there was no weight to it. 

 

"P-please Fushimi...just look at her! I can't be alone with a girl!" 

 

And Misaki could feel her glare on him for some reason...it made Misaki want to hide.

 

Saruhiko was silent and glaring at her back, but Misaki could just feel that it was a yes.

 

It made him feel just a little bit better for tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

 

_Despite all my talk about hating the world, it sure is beautiful huh..._

Misaki thinks to himself as he leans against the railings staring idlly at the city below them. 

 

Aya and Saruhiko were arguing beside him, or more like Aya was shouting mean things at Saruhiko and Saruhiko just ignored her and gave short clipped responses.

 

Misaki knows he isn't really smart enough to contribute to the conversation they were having, so he opts for observing them instead.

 

Despite the glomps, or the pet names or even the love letter, Misaki just knew that Aya wasnt here for him. 

 

Saruhiko had told him that Aya was his cousin, and that Aya was constantly competing with him who was smarter, who was better, all that stuff.

 

Misaki had siblings, and he could tell that Aya just really wanted Saruhiko's attention, but the way she was going about it was wrong if it's with a person like Saruhiko. 

 

Misaki wouldn't say he was a Saruhiko expert or anything like that, but Misaki was confident that he somewhat knew Saruhuko to an extent, and should help Aya with that. Give tips or something.

 

Misaki just wished that Aya didn't have to go through him in such a roundabout way just to get to Saruhiko. He felt like he was just some obstacle or gateway, and not a friend or even a person. It kinda stung.

 

Maybe Aya didn't mean it like that and Misaki was just overthinking it, what with his past experiences and all that. What did Saruhiko call it? Projecting? Yeah probably that.

 

"Hey is your mind still in there?" Saruhiko knocks him lightly on his head, and Misaki smiles warmly at his maybe best friend. (Misaki considered him one, but hasn't exactly told Saruhiko yet). Aya had gone to answer a call from her mother so it was just the two of them.

 

"...Yeah just wondering when the airship is gonna get here," Misaki replies and leans slightly at Saruhikos side, reasoning that the weather was pretty cold from up here. 

 

"...Hey Misaki-" Saruhiko starts and his first name makes Misaki's eyes widen, but Aya interrupts.

 

"-KI! MISAKI! PLEASE TALK TO MY MOTHER!" Aya all but screeches at both of them, and they jump in sync.

 

Cue the most embarassing 5 minutes of Yatagarasu Misaki's life.

 

"I'M NOT GONNA DO IT!"

 

"COME ON PLEASE!"

 

"NO!"

 

"ONLY YOU CAN PULL IT OFF PLEASEEE?"

 

"..."

 

"..."

 

"..."

 

"..."

 

"...Hi hi Aya's mama~! Ah hai hai, I'm Misaki desuuuu~♡  We're just gonna finish homework then head to bed~ Yes yes we're having soo much fuuun!  Oh I would looove to meet you some time ehe!♡ Alright, nighty night!"

 

"..."

 

"..."

 

"...heh..."

 

"....he...hehe..."

 

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

 

Misaki wanted to die as Aya laughs and laughs, but he freezes when he hears a laugh that didn't come from her. 

 

"...pffft..."

 

Saruhiko was barely containing his laughter, covering his mouth and coughing out the chuckles in short breaths.

 

Both Aya and Misaki are awestruck at such a rare occurance. 

 

"He's...laughing..." Aya murmurs to herself in wonder, and Misaki can't help but completely glow at the accomplishment. 

 

If it got Saruhiko to laugh, Misaki doesn't regret doing what he did...though he probably wouldn't do it again. 

 

They miss the airship because of a few missed coordinates, but Misaki didn't think this was a wasted night. 

 

"Hey...do you think our lives would have changed if we got on that?" Saruhiko asks them when it was all over.

 

Misaki thinks he doesn't need an airship to change his life when Saruhiko is right here, changing it everyday.

 

But Misaki thought it was cheesy so he keeps that to himself.


	4. Chapter 4

Misaki can't help a feeling of giddiness when the teacher calls upon him of all people to bring Saruhiko's homework to him.

Of course it was the most logical, he was the only one who spoke to Saruhiko on a daily basis, but he couldn't help but feel that special feeling again, like it was only him that could get that privelage.

Saruhiko was such an amazing person, if you could just see the things he could do...

Misaki stops in his tracks as he stares at the address and back at the "house" in front of him.

Misaki wasn't even sure if he should call it a house, because it was HUGE. There were pillars and marble flooring and engravings everywhere, but it didn't seem all that homey. Misaki would compare it to like...a hall of justice or something. Grand, Cold and Uninviting in his opinion.

Scratch that, at least a hall of justice had people, this was more of a...those tomb things. Where you put families.

"Oh. Mausoleum," Misaki finally remembers the word out loud, and feels like Saruhiko would be proud he remembered it.

Saying the world out loud gave his voice that fancy echo sound, and it proves Misaki's point how empty the house was. Misaki decides staying in this entrance was uncomfortable and wanted to find Saruhiko as soon as he could.

"Oi...Saruhiko..." Misaki calls out as he walks around, testing out his first name on his tongue since given the permission just yesterday.

Saruhiko had now allowed him to call him by his first name, provided he was allowed to call him "Misaki" as well, and Misaki was overjoyed that this was a big sign their friendship was really getting somewhere. He even found he didn't mind it if Saruhiko used his first name.

Finally, Misaki finds Saruhiko in his bed, despite being sick, still on his computer doing his crazy hacker man thing as always. Misaki always thought that was cool, but not today when he was supposed to be RESTING.

Misaki rips the earphones from Saruhiko's ear.

"Saruuu..." Misaki calls and puts his hands on his hips. Saruhiko's eyes widen as if he doesn't believe that Misaki is standing in front of him.

"Mi...saki...? What are you doing here?" Saruhiko mumbles barely, and Misaki couldn't help but laugh at how dazed he sounded.

"Teacher told me to give this to you. This room...needs to be aired out!" Misaki mutters, moving to open the window above Saruhiko's head. It was raining outside, but the cool air would be good for Saruhiko, at least for now.

Saruhiko looks like he's ready to say something but Misaki isn't giving him any room, mind already on taking care of Saruhiko.

"Oi have you eaten already? There's nobody in this house so I'm gonna take a bet and say no. You at least got some basic ingredients right? I'll make you something."

Saruhiko stares for a long minute before he had finally resigned himself and buried deeper into the covers.

"Yeah just get some sleep...if you need anything, just call my name," Misaki smiles at him at the door before making away to the kitchen.

"Misaki."

And Misaki makes a 180.

"Yes?" Misaki pokes his head at the door.

"I'm thirsty...want somethin Grape... zero-percent juice, lightly carbonated..." Saruhiko tells him and Misaki digests the request.

"That was extremely specific and also that is mostly water...but yeah okay there's a convenience store near here so I'll just buy it there," He sighs good naturedly, and prepares to leave for the second time.

"Misaki."

...And he turns back again.

"Saru?" Misaki peaks back out.

"Ice cream too...mild vanilla flavor..." Saruhiko adds with his head still buried in the covers.

"Ah yes yes it's normal to crave ice cream when one has a fever I was gonna get you some anyways. You're really in to the mild flavors huh," Misaki smiles and exits the room again, but this time leans on the wall just beside the entrance.

Misaki closes his eyes and a warm feeling spreads through his chest.

It felt...really nice to be needed.

Especially when it was for someone like Saruhiko. Saruhiko was just so... Saruhiko.

He was smart and capable and wasn't impressed with anything the world threw at him, because it seemed like he just knew MORE than the world itself.

The fact that he could be useful to a guy like that, to be needed, to be around him, it was enough for Misaki.

"...Misaki..."

The word Misaki was waiting to hear was whispered this time, and when Misaki came back out, Saruhiko had a surprised expression, not expecting that Misaki had waited by the door.

"CALLED IT! Geez Saru, you don't need to test it... I told you that if you call my name I'll be there," Misaki laughed, and Saruhiko turned even redder than normal, even with a fever.

"...just wanted to tell you to close the window it's too cold."

"Right, understood," Misaki tells him, closing the window.

Not even the rain outside could dampen his mood.

Fushimi Niki could though.


	5. Chapter 5

When Misaki came back and had finished cooking, (in Saruhiko's VERY fancy kitchen mind you) Saruhiko was still fast asleep. Misaki suspects that he hadn't been sleeping all this time, and only stopped working when Misaki forced him, so Misaki decided to just let him sleep. 

 

Misaki felt his head becoming heavy and his eyes droop as he leaned on the counter. The rain outside was making him a little sleepy, so he thought it would be okay to take a little nap. He closed his eyes, his cheek pressed against the cool countertop. 

* * *

 

"...Oh how precious! The rain brought in a drowned little rat!" 

 

The high pitched voice wakes Misaki up with a start, and he falls off the stool, landing on his butt.

 

"Mmfph! What the-" Misaki exclaims as he looks up to see a guy who looked a lot like an older Saruhiko...but wilder.

 

Was this Saruhiko's dad?

 

Misaki scrambles to stand up.

 

"O-oh I'm s-sorry sir! I'm Fushimi- ah I mean! Saruhiko's friend!" 

 

The man gives him a chilling smile.

 

"Oho? My monkey? A friend? Are you his latest project? How interesting... what's your name little one?" He asks Misaki, and Misaki freezes. He just knows that this man was bad news. He could feel it.

 

"My...my name is Yata," Misaki answers uneasily, not wanting to give this man any more information. 

 

The man's eyes narrow.

 

"YOUR FULL NAME."

 

The voice snaps at him and Misaki jumps. 

 

"Yata...Misaki."

 

And the man laughs.

 

"HAHAHA! What a girly name! You must have been bullied for it huh? Kids love doing stuff like that after all..." 

 

He ruffles Misaki's head and a part of Misaki wonders what he would do if he had grabbed his hair and slammed him against the table. Wouldn't put it against this man either.

 

"SARUHIKO!!! GET DOWN HERE!!!" The older Fushimi calls up the stairs, and Misaki is rigid and has to stop himself from saying or doing anything. 

 

Saruhiko didn't tell him much about his father, but it couldn't be good. 

 

Oh how he wished he was strong enough to fight back, and tell this man to go fuck off or something because Saruhiko needed rest. 

 

A part of Misaki is thankful that there was no response. Saruhiko shouldn't have to come down here if he didn't want to.

 

"Ohoho... not coming down huh? How rude you are to your new found friend...guess it's up to me to...entertain him..." Those steel blue eyes pin Misaki in place as the hand on his hair slides down towards his cheek. How could that same shade of blue be so comforting on his best friend, yet be so chilling on his father?

 

Then he hears the racket from upstairs, clattering and pounding and sound of footsteps running, and before he knew it, Saruhiko was charging down the steps and he feels Saruhiko's arm pushing him behind his back in a protective stance.

 

"YOU WON'T TOUCH HIM!" Saruhiko snarls at his father. He was covered in sweat, he was still a feverish red and he was noticeably tired, but the look of anger in his eyes couldn't be mistaken. 

 

Misaki wouldn't admit it, but he was starting to see the appeal of those romance dramas his mother watched every sunday morning.  

 

No one has ever defended him before. 

 

"Oh but Saruhiko this was getting so interesting! Let's play a bit! My games are to DIE for!" He was chuckling, and Saruhiko was slowly leading Misaki backwards towards the exit.

 

"Leave him out of this you fucking sicko," Saruhiko growled at him and then turned to Misako in a much softer voice.

 

"Get out of here Misaki... I'll meet you outside..."

 

Misaki complies and heads towards the door. 

 

"Your food... it's absolutely perfect as it should be and I put it all on the table mmkay? I'll beat you up if you don't eat it," Misaki tells him and Saruhiko nods, but then quickly turns back to face his father.

 

Misaki waits at the steps of Saruhiko's front door, looking at the rain falling to the ground.

 

Misaki's heart was still pounding slightly, a reminder of the events that just transpired. It was a mix of everything? Confusion, Fear, Worry... and maybe just a bit of Happiness.

 

Misako would be lying if he wasn't worried that maybe he was just forcing all his friendship on Saruhiko. 

 

His past experiences, with people who have never liked him yet never said anything, feeling like he never quite belonged. Too normal to be a main character of his own story, and too weird to fit in... he kinda just felt like he would be doomed to be that last choice people never really cared about.

 

And here comes Saruhiko... certainly a light at the end of the tunnel. 

 

Misaki laughs to himself.

 

Heh Saru would definitely think he had gone crazy if he heard Misaki call him a light. 

 

Maybe this time, Saruhiko will be that friend that stays... 

 

Misaki thinks hopefully.

 

But then Misaki shakes his head.

 

No... he shouldn't get his hopes up. He's been too dependent on Saruhiko lately...

 

His mother was always telling him to show some restraint because maybe he was too intense at times, but he couldn't help it! It was one or the other with him.

 

But if he didn't rein it in... his emotions will get the best of him someday. 

 

It scares Misaki, because he couldn't even tell when he was getting too much.

 

Misaki sighs and holds out his hand to the rain...

 

Only to have a handle of an umbrella placed upon his palm. 

 

"Better not catch a cold because I sure as hell am not going anywhere near you if you get sick," Saruhiko mutters, hands crossed and eyes averted. 

 

"Hehe I thought you planned to leave me out here just waiting! And oh thanks, you sure it's okay to borrow this?" Misaki  asks and Saruhiko shrugs noncommitedly. 

 

"Hey Misaki...about what just happened... my father-"

 

Saruhiko doesn't look too happy to talk about this now and he still looked really really sick and was he still wearing his thin ass pajamas? So Misaki just pokes Saruhiko's chest with the umbrella lightly. 

 

"-We don't need to talk about this now. Just go back inside and get some rest. We'll have time to talk about it sometime after you get better okay? So get better soon..." Misaki says and opens up the umbrella, hopping onto the pavement, making swish sounds as he lands on a small puddle. 

 

"Misaki..." Saruhiko calls out, and Misaki turns right back.

 

"Yeah?" Misaki tilts his head and strains to hear him over the rain hitting the umbrella.

 

"Thank you... for coming to check on me." 

 

Misaki almost drops the umbrella when he sees the faint smile Saruhiko sends him, and Misaki doesnt really know what to say but smile back and give a wave of his own.

 

Misaki shouldn't worry about things like the future anyways. It wasn't his style.


	6. Chapter 6

Misaki sighed into the palm of his hand as he leaned against his desk. The teacher droaned on and on about who knows what and Misaki certainly didnt know nor didn't care.

Saruhiko behind him was playing with a new game on his PDA, and unlike Misaki, he most likely knew everything about the lesson and more, but unfortunately...also cared less than he did. Misaki wondered which out of the two of them was worse as a student.

Misaki would rather be doing so much better things that sitting here pretending to be interested. Like maybe watching Saruhiko play (would be too obvious) or maybe strangling Fushimi Nikki. (also too obvious. And apparently illegal)

That bastard makes Misaki's hand clench and he attempts to control his breathing. Just this morning Saruhiko had told him. Told him everything. And wow he didn't know it was possible to hate a guy as much as he could hate Fushimi Nikki.

Saruhiko had trusted him to tell him his backstory, this other side of him, and Misaki wanted to do something for him. Misaki wanted to help in some way...

"FUSHIMI THAT'S ENOUGH! Give me your PDA this instant! Intelligence is wasted on students like you," The teacher up front starts shouting.

Misaki could see the ticked off look on Saruhiko's face, and Misaki could see him standing up and walking out the room before he even does it. Misaki naturally, stands up and follows after him. "

Y-YATA WHERE ARE YOU GOING!? Don't follow him! You aren't like Fushimi!"

_"And there goes Fushimi's lackey following after him like always...Probably just usin him."_

_"Hehe...weirdos stick together after all..."_

_"With how devoted he is you think he's...like that? Gross..."_ Misaki throws back one final glare at them before running to catch up to Saruhiko. 

"YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A LOSER RUNNING AWAY FROM YOUR PROBLEMS!" Was the last thing he hears from their teacher and Miskai rolls his eyes. 

"Just shut up already..." 

None of them would understand anyways so they don't deserve any of their time. They were all part of the world they hated.

"Going home?" Misaki tells him lightly as if they didn't walk out of their own class.

"Yeah..." Saruhiko replies. 

"Alright I'll come with you~" Misaki smiles.

"...It's true we're nothing alike..." Saruhiko tells him and Misaki is thoughtful for a moment. 

Did it matter if they weren't the same? Misami could never be like Saruhiko and he didn't want to. Misaki just cared about being by his side... 

"Heh I don't care." Misaki shrugs, and Saruhiko gives him a hint of a smile. 

Finally, Saruhiko brings up his PDA and shows Misaki what he was looking at.

"Huh? These are...pictures of that red clan...Ho...Homo-rat...?" Misaki tries to remember their name but failing. Miserably. 

Saruhiko smirks at Misaki's blunder, but corrects him. 

"It's Homra. They were that clan we ran into the other day." 

Ah now Misaki remembers... they were sitting on the curb of some sidewalk sharing a soda when that big guy had had melted the bottle into the ground before it could hit him... Misaki would be lying if he said he wasnt impressed.

That power... It was kinda mesmerizing to look at. 

"There are rumors going around that their group is given the powers from some kind of stone, which makes them strong...and he goes around granting that power if you can handle it." Saruhiko explains. 

"Seems like an entirely different world from our own..." Misaki comments. 

_ Different world huh...  _

Misaki stops talking and is thoughtful for a minute, trying to think of the right way to word this new idea that just popped into his head. 

"Hey Saru... why don't we just leave all of this behind? We can get an apartment at Shizume, just the two of us, our own secret hideout" Misaki proposes his idea, and when he sees Saruhiko's look of surprise, he feels his ears burn at being the focus of Saruhiko's intensity.

At least there was no immediate no, meaning that Saruhiko wasn't completely dismissing the idea.

"A-after all... I know you never go home when THEY are there, and you're always sleeping in internet cafés and shit...it just seems easier...you don't need a place like that," Misaki finished hesitantly and Saruhiko cocks an eyebrow. 

"What about school?" 

"W-we could...you know...just drop out... It's not like we need all this bullshit...ah b-but you're an honor student...ah shit sorry it's a stupid idea huh never mind-"

"-We better not live in a dump. And if it doesn't have an a/c or a bath, you can forget it." 

Misaki is stunned.

"W-wha...huh...what..."

Saruhiko had already walked ahead while Misaki stayed in the same place mouth hanging open and eyes wide. 

This was actually happening. Misaki had the biggest smile as he ran to catch up with his new roommate.

"So I was thinking we get one with a rooftop! Then we can get those helicopter pad things! Then we can fire missiles and shit whenever we want! Every secret hideout's got shit like that!"

"I'd rather have an underground bunker with water tanks where we can study cosmic radiation. That's really cool"

"E-ehhhh...well I guess that's pretty cool too... if I knew what that meant...but what about the rockets? We build those underground?"

"We won't build rockets...we'll study neutrinos" 

" Neowhatnos? Oh I get it! A NEO...means a NEW ship! A NEO SHIP!" 

"...ugh, okay maybe the rooftop idea would work instead... Neutrinos are particles, not ships Misaki. I'll get you a dictionary if you're gonna be living with me." 

The sun set among the two boys, leaving the school behind. 

Misaki looked forward to their new world to come.


	7. Chapter 7

Misaki is looking for Saruhiko among the faceless and blank looks of the people around him. His eyes move back and forth among the hallways, trying to spot the aloof teen.

When he does find him, he prepares to call out, but stops in his tracks as he spots someone else approaching Saruhiko.

Misaku quickly presses his back against the wall and strains his ears to listen in.

"You... what happened on that last exam? You ranked 45th," Aya frowns at Saruhiko and it deepens when Saruhiko just shrugs in reply.

"Oh reaaally? 45th huh... wow how unexpected. It must be because I forgot to study the night before oh dear..." Saruhiko replies in a bored, sarcastic tone and a roll of his eyes.

Aya clenches her fist.

"You don't just rank 45th by forgetting to study... wait, did you...?...ohmygod you're such a waste... at this rate you won't even be getting in to a good high school. I'M getting in to Tsubakigahara Academy, maybe even as a scholar," Aya boasts and Saruhiko doesn't even seem interested at all.

"You should have gone there for middleschool too...that way I wouldn't have had to see your face for the past 3 years," Saruhiko sneers and Aya gasps, clearly offended.

"I-I'm just warning you, you're lowering your standards by letting an idiot like Misaki lead you around. I can speak at you at a higher lever than that stupid thug wannabe. "

Hearing his name like that, Misaki clutches his heart as he feels it tighten. It's the groupchat all over again.

_Even Aya..._

He had suspected that she never was interested in him and only in Saruhiko... but the way she said those words... did she hate him THAT much?

They were having so much fun that night they chased after the airship...

Why did this keep happening to him? He didn't do anything wrong right? Is it just because of who he was that he'd be destined to be hated forever?

Misaki is shaking as his thoughts scatter, the world is starting to sway and his eyes can't focus on anything.

 

_I'm going to lose everything, Saru is going to agree with Aya he'll leave me too, I'll be alone I really don't deserve anything good everything is gone I can't do this I can't I can't I CAN'T-_

 

"Why should I even bother talking to you?" Saruhiko's voice cuts through the hallway, and clearing Misaki's thoughts in an instant.

"Have you ever once listened to what I've said, eyes wide and sparking with wonder?"

Misaki hears a smack, and he sees that Aya had thrown her bag at Saruhiko's head.

If Misaki wasn't so frozen from his episode, he would have sprung up to defend his best friend. Instead he just watches on wordlessly.

"W-why should I be wide eyed at YOU? I HATE YOU WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING!" Aya shouts, fave red and Saruhiko pauses.

"...I don't hate you personally," Saruhiko tells her, kicking her bag up like a soccer ball and bouncing it in the air a few times.

"I just hate everything about the world... including you."

With a resounding kick, the bag heads straight for Aya's face and she tumbles to the ground.

Saruhiko walks away from the scene, and its only then that Misaki feels like he could breathe. He slides to the floor, limbs going limp and he lets out a long sigh.

Everything is fine.

He still has Saruhiko.

Everything is ok.


	8. Chapter 8

"Hey Saru! Check this out!" Misaki says as he does an ollie on his skateboard, looking up at the loft where Saruhiko was typing away.

Saruhiko stops typing to lean over and observe, and then nods in acknowledgement.

"Yeah, that one was pretty good. You're getting better," Saruhiko comments from his perch and Misako grins at the comment.

These days Saruhiko seemed more relaxed living with Misaki, and he was content with just him and Saruhiko. He thought that this idea was the best he's ever had.

A dark look crossed Misaki's face.

Here was so much better than going back to that world. To those people. Who cares about any of them.

_Ah shit, I'm doing it again..._

Misaki shakes his head and wills it away, before climbing up the ladder to Saruhiko's "room."

"What's up- woah this place is seriously lookin like some top secret agent facility thing," Misaki says, impressed at Saruhiko's set up.

"It isn't much, but it'll do for now... more importantly though, take a look at this," Saruhiko points at the screen, and Misaki can see that familiar stupid green bird that's the mascot for jungle.

"Eh? A mission to stand in front of Homra's territory? Party my ass..." Misaki mutters as he reads over the latest post. Saruhiko nods in aggreement.

"It's probably a way to taunt the Red King. There's gotta be more to this... Jungle is too shifty to not have any ulterior motives."

Misako can see that Saruhiko's face was morphing into a serious one full of concentration. That look tells him that Saruhiko has encountered something that needed a solution and he was using everything to think about a way to fix or answer it.

It was probably one of Misaki's favorite expressions from him.

"Like that incident with the messages from groupchats getting sent to the person they were backtalking... they said it was a glitch in their algorithms, but I bet that was just a cover up for the fact that they were intercepting emails from influencial people..."

Saruhiko continued to deduce, and Misaki listened, trying to keep up with Saruhiko's mind, but figured he probably wouldn't be able to anyways.

"You're really amazing Saruhiko... the way your mind works," Misaki chuckles, crossing his legs, and Saruhiko turns to him with a questioning look in his eyes at the out of the blue compliment.

Misaki raises a fist to him.

"With you by my side...I feel like we can take on the world,"

The fire in Misaki's eyes couldn't be mistaken, and it burned even brighter as Saruhiko returns the fistbump.

"You and me are gonna turn this boring as shit world upside down," Saruhiko smirks back.

Misaki grins, and then turns back to the computer.

"So what's the plan for this Jungle Party thing?" Misaki asks.

"Leave that to me. Jungle is messing around with Homra..."

The duo shared a look.

"...and now theyre gonna get messed by us."


	9. Chapter 9

 

They messed up.

Everything was wrong.

Misaki frantically looked left and right, trying to scan through the chaos.

Jungle's "clansmen", ordinary civillians, were wearing masks and were everywhere, firing fireworks and other shit all over the place.

Misaki didn't know the full story because his communication with Saruhiko got cut in the middle of everything, but it looked like Jungle knew what Saruhiko and him were doing from the start.

 

_Ah shit shit shit..._

 

Misaki tries to escape the crowd, pushing and shoving people out of the way until he could get to a less packed space.

At least Saruhiko was in the safety of their apartment and not in this mess, because even Misaki could see this area was getting dangerous. He just needed to get out-

"MISAKI! WHERE ARE YOU?"

 

_What in the living fuck!?_

So much for Saruhiko being safe.

Misaki is now more frantic than ever looking for his bestfriend, and finally, with enough shouting, they find each other, and Misaki holds on to his sleeve.

"T-they... hah hah...were on to us...hah...all along... w-we lost..." Saruhiko was huffing, out of breath, and Misaki gives him a reassuring squeeze.

"It's okay...we just have to get out of here..." Misaki tells him. They nod at each other as together they try to make it out of the crowd.

It wasnt until they were near escape that the fireworks, those stupid fireworks went off again and blasted right between them, separating them.

"MISAKI RUN!" Saruhiko is shouting at him as he is carried away by the people in masks.

"S-saruhiko..." Misaki whispered after him.

 

_NO NO NO NO_

 

"PLEASE SAVE HIM!! PLEASE SAVE SARUHIKO PLEASE-"

 

Misaki didnt know who he was screaming this to, he doesn't even kmow what he was doing. He must have been clutching on to someone and shaking them like there was no tomorrow but none of that mattered because Saruhiko was in trouble, Saruhiko needed someone to save him, Saruhiko where was he, somebody anybody-

 

Misaki felt the heat all around him first.

 

Then it was the red. The red heading straight in Saruhiko's direction.

 

Then it was the blast. The sound of ringing in his ears.

 

Then the silence that came after.

 

All was quiet as Misaki stared, wide eyed and terrified looking at nothing in particular.

Misaki wasn't sure what had happened. Wasn't sure if Saruhiko was even alive.

And Misaki couldn't think. Everything was blank. He just stared as the dust piled around him, but Misaki was still blank, and didn't move an inch.

Everything was numb, as if he was underwater without oxygen or gravity.

 

_What now?_

 

"...Ah King that was probably a little bit too much, what happened to 'no ash?'" a light cheery voice called out amongst the rubble, and Misaki slowly looked up.

The dust cleared, and when the figure had stepped aside, Misaki could see that clearly, standing before him, was Saruhiko. Alive.

"S-Saruhiko," Misaki's shakey voice called out and Saruhiko had looked at him.

"Misaki..." He called back, just as shaken.

 

Then Misako felt the dam break, getting all his senses back at once.

 

"SARUUU!!!" Misaki wailed as he charged at him, manliness be damned, clutching on to him in a tight hug as the tears just kept on falling and falling.

"I...I....I...T-THOUGHT YOU WERE D-DEAD....SARU...SARU.." Misaki couldn't stop sobbing and babbling and hiccuping as he held on to his one and only friend.

"Misaki..." Was all Saruhiko had replied returning the hug, and that was all Misaki really needed.

It was reassuring enough.

"My my...we've picked up quite a handful haven't we, King?" The same cheery voice had said to his companion, and there was a deep grunt.

It wasn't until later that Misaki had realized that they were just saved by the Red King, Suoh Mikoto.

* * *

The walk home to their apartment was silent, and Misaki's mind was racing with what had happened.

Something like that could never happen again.

But as they are now, there was nothing they could do.

Misaki clenched his fist.

"Saruhiko...I want power. That special power."

Saruhiko nods solemnly beside him.

Never again.


	10. Chapter 10

A week or so after that incident, Saruhiko had gotten a call from his mother. 

 

Fushimi Nikki was dead. 

 

Misako had thought good riddance to such a vile psycho, and Saruhiko had obviously shared his sentiments, but there still needed to be a relative present to confirm it was actually him that had died, and so the task fell to Saruhiko, as his mother was who knows where doing who knows what.

 

Misaki had gone with him to the hospital, and had stood just outside the morgue as he waited for him. He worried how Sauhiko would react, because there was no one else that could get a rise out of Saruhiko than his own father. 

 

It turns out Misaki was right to be worried as he heard shouting and screaming from the inside.

 

Misaki had barged in the moment the commotion began, seeing Saruhiko lunging at the body laying on the gurney. 

 

Him and another nurse manage to restrain Saruhiko and calm him down enough, until from the body falls out a rubix cube with drawings on it. 

 

Misako didn't know what it meant, but he could tell the significance by the look on Saruhiko's face that it was nothing good.

 

Misaki could tell that Saruhiko had wanted to be alone, so Misaki left him to his own devices, and decided to go do something he had been meaning to do for awhile, although he wasn't exactly looking forward to it. 

 

* * *

It was raining when he got to his destination. He was glad he had brought the raincoat with him as he patiently watched each student leave the school. 

 

Finally, one of the last to leave was the person he was looking for. 

 

"Oogai," Misaki greeted, showing himself to the girl. 

 

"I dont want anything to do with a drop out," Aya replies coldly, and Misaki's smile falls just a little.

 

It was already so hard to do this, and her obviously hostile attitude wasn't doing Misaki any favors.

 

"D-don't worry! They'll let me and Saruhiko graduate if we pass the test during spring break," Misaki tells her anyways and she just rolls her eyes at him. She was so different from when he first met her. 

 

The confirmation that she really was faking it all this time hurt Misaki all the more. 

 

"Worry? Ha. I don't care.  These days, not graduating highschool equals a drop out."

 

Misako didn't want to continue this conversation anymore, and this isn't what he came to argue abiout, so he changes the subject.

 

"Sorry for stopping you in the rain. I know it's none of my business, but if I don't tell you this now, I'll never get the chance to."

 

Misaki takes a deep breath.

 

"The way you're acting...it isnt gonna get Saruhiko's attention. In fact, I think Saruhiko just sees it as you being malicious," Misaki tries to break this to her as gently as he could, but he supposed the effort was wasted as she puff up all the same. 

 

"ATTENTION!? Who said anything about that? It IS malicious! I HATE Saruhiko. Being compared to HIM for the past 15 years...he's just a pain in the ass!" Aya tells him, and the fact that he struck a cord with her just proved he was right. 

 

"Hmm...it's probably since both of you are just too smart, that I can't understand how it had gone this badly. Can't you just tell him what's on your mind normally?" Misaki tried again still using his placating voice, but another mistake. The flash of fury was apparent on Aya's face.

 

"Is that...sympathy? Normal? YOU WANNA KNOW NORMAL?  YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S NORMAL MISAKI! IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD! You come from a plain, boring, ORDINARY family, you're simply BELOW AVERAGE in the brains department, and you keep acting like your some outlaw, like you're so SPECIAL!  But you know, without Saruhiko YOU'RE NOTHING! Just some USELESS PUNK!" 

 

And there it was. It was all out. 

 

"So why is a useless punk like you his only friend...? I'm clearly better than you...so why can't I be the one standing next to him?" Aya says with tears in her eyes and runs away before Misaki could say anything. 

 

When she leaves, Misaki stands there for  a bit watching her slowly shrink into the distance. 

 

Well that was that, Misaki wasn't even surprised anymore.

 

He turns his back on his school as he walks away. 

 

He didn't know why he even bothered.


	11. Chapter 11

"Take my hand," Mikoto tells them, holding out both of his hands out towards them lazily. His posture was relaxed and his voice was a drawl, but Misaki could feel the power just rolling off him in waves.

 

He was like a slumbering lion, waiting for his chance to strike. After all, Misaki had seen him in action first hand when he had saved Saruhiko.

 

Speaking of Saruhiko, he looks to his right and sees that Saruhiko was looking at him too a grave and serious expression on his features. 

 

This was actually happening.

 

They nodded at each other once, and together they grabbed at the hand being offered at them. 

 

The heat was instantaneous, and Misaki could feel it all around him. It was all that red again, and Misaki's first thought was to check and see if Saruhiko was okay, because the last time this happened, he thought his best friend had died.

 

He couldn't really move though, because the heat was getting too much and it seemed as if it was burning from the inside, trying to push out, and Misaki collapses to the floor.

 

It ends as abruptly as it came. 

 

"M-misaki...?" The hesitant voice calls from above and Misaki blinks a few times trying to get his bearings. 

 

When he lifts his body off the ground, he  hears the relieved sigh from above and cheering from other people in the room.

 

Misaki looks up and sees Saruhiko holding out a hand to him, and he takes it, shakily standing up to observe his surroundings as if for the first time.

 

Saruhiko, unlike him is standing unaffected, the only way of even telling that something had changed would be the smoke coming from around him as if he was the flame itself. Of course there was no dount in Misaki's mind that Saruhiko would embrace that power wholeheartedly. That's just the kind of person Saruhiko was. 

 

Misaki was just glad he could take it and stand beside him.

 

Mikoto the king himself, and Izumo, who seemed like the second in command, looked quite impressed and nodded in approval at their two new recruits.

 

The cheering had come from Tatara, a clansman Misaki had identified as the other person who had saved Saruhiko, and Kamamoto, a new guy who was assigned to show them the ropes if they had survived.

Misaki pumped a fist in the air and laughed.

And they had.

* * *

Misaki was idlly observing the tattoo on his chest and he stared in wonder, not quite believing that it was real. 

 

Saruhiko had gone to their apartment to sleep because he was tired after all that initiation, while Misaki had decided to stay behind and get familiar with Homra.

 

"You know, this is the first time that a Homra tattoo had formed in the same place as another clansman," Tatara tells him conversationally when they first saw it.

 

And it was true, both he and Saruhiko had the Homra flame on the same spot, right above their left chest. A perfect match.

 

"Well they did grab his hand at the same time, we've never did that before," Izumo points out. 

 

"Maybe so...but you and Saruhiko really are close huh?" Tatara gives him a knowing smile.

 

"Yeah," Misaki agrees, eyes still not leaving the tattoo.

 

And Misaki was stoked, he had gotten the power he wanted, and a whole new world had opened before him.

 

But...he couldn't help but think that when this world had opened, they could no longer return to the world he was in before.

 

Misaki was getting this uneasy feeling like something...bad was going to happen. 

 

The door to the world they once knew had closed and locked, and the thought makes Misaki grip and rub the edges of his shirt nervously. 

 

It seemed as if the heat that had swallowed him from the time he had gained that power just a few moments ago had stayed within him and it made him uncomfortable. It was like the fire just wanted to get out of his body. He hoped this was just a side effect or something along those lines.

 

"Hey Yata are you alright? You're looking a little sick... you're probably a little overwhelmed from taking the initiation, so maybe you should follow Saruhiko's lead and go take a nap. We'll still be here when you wake up," Tatara tells him kindly, and Misaki nods hesitantly, walking out the bar.

 

He really does hope that's all it was.


	12. Chapter 12

 

"Fushimi you're amazing!" Bando exclaims from beside him as he sees the code flitting through the screen at light speeds.

 

"Hell yeah man! Didn't know you could hack the cameras too! That saved us so much time, we would have just blasted the damn wall" Chitose cheers, giving Fushimi a pat on the back. 

 

"Tch, it isnt much. You guys are too loud," Saruhiko clicks his tongue, and continues to type as the clansman gather around him.

 

"Hey guys! What's going on here?" Misaki greets walking in with a baseball bat slung around his shoulder and Kamamoto following closely behind him.

 

"YATA CHECK HIM OUT! HE JUST SOLVED LIKE, 13 OF THE PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD THIS PAST MONTH IN AN HOUR!" Chitose yells from where he is, and everyone winces at his volume. 

 

Misaki rolls his eyes.

 

"Hmph OF COURSE I knew that, Saru is AMAZING! Jungle even called him out because of how good he was, and Saruhiko can tell you a solution to every single problem on the news before the reporter can even finish!" Misaki brags as he walks over towards the group and leaning against the table, having to wrestle amongst the other members to reach his best friend's side.

 

Misaki meant that to sound light and joking. He hopes that the slight annoyance tinged in his voice couldn't be detected.

 

Of course Misaki knew how amazing Saruhiko was. He was here before any of them were.

 

_"Have you ever once listened to what I've said, eyes wide and sparking with wonder?"_

 

That's what Saruhiko had told Aya right? Saruhiko had liked him because of that. That was special to him, no matter how impressed Homra was with Saruhiko.

 

"Shut up, Misaki..." Saruhiko tells him clearly embarassed and it makes Misaki laugh, but his mind was elsewhere, not really in to it.

 

Yeah he was fine.

 

Misaki couldn't get replaced just like that. 

 

But these guys...Homra weren't bad people. They treated each other like family. And Saruhiko was the kind of person that SHOULD be admired by other people because of all the impressive things he could do. Misaki shouldn't keep that to himself. 

 

So why...why was Misaki so bothered by this? 

 

Misaki should be glad that he had a place where he could belong. Homra accepted them with open arms.

 

And yet here he was being selfish. 

 

Everything felt hot around Misaki, giving him a headache. 

 

 

 

_"Without Saruhiko, YOU'RE NOTHING!"_

 

 

 

Aya's words echo around him repeatedly, and maybe she was right. 

 

 

 

He was just bringing Saruhiko down. He wasn't smart. Wasn't special. 

 

 

 

Saruhiko deserved so much more than him.

 

 

 

Misaki stands up abruptly, the heat was really getting to him.

 

 

 

"Misaki what on earth are you doing?" Saruhiko stared at him, and Misaki just realized that Saruhiko was talking to him this entire time, but he couldn't hear him over the louder voices in his head.

 

Misaki gives him an apologetic look.

 

"S-sorry Saru, but I'm gonna go out for a bit."

 

Misaki leaves the group to head to the bar where Izumo was polishing glasses.

 

"Kusanagi...any missions I can do?" Misaki asks hoping there would be one, because he wanted an excuse to get some fresh air outside. 

 

_It's so hot...how does Mikoto stand it?_

 

Izumo is looking at him, an unreadable expression on his face, but then quickly recovers and gives him a kind smile.

 

"Lucky for you Yata, we got a simple delivery...but bring Kamamoto with you."

 

Izumo's voice was pleasant, but left no room for argument, so he just decides to let Kamamoto tag along. He was pretty cool anyways.

 

 

 

Misaki wondered just how long could he keep this up? 

 

 

 

Something was wrong with him, Misaki could feel it, and it scared him because he didn't know what to do.


	13. Chapter 13

Misaki had hoped that he would get over it, and he kinda did, for awhile at least. 

 

Saruhiko had only become more important than ever to Homra, he was even discussing plans and tactics together with Izumo for the general wellfare of the clan.

 

Homra was an all brawn group, and Saeuhiko was the genius they needed to keep them together.

 

Homra needed Saruhiko. 

 

Misaki felt like because of that,  he had to double his efforts in order to at least not embarass his best friend, and to prove he deerved to be here. So Misaki was trying his best to be useful. 

 

And plus, he had to repay Homra. 

 

Mikoto had nothing but respect from Misaki, and Misaki never wasted a chance showing his appreciation to the king.

 

Misaki could tell that Saruhiko didn't like it when he would follow whatever Mikoto said "like a blind dog," but Saruhiko didn't know just what Mikoto had done, and Misaki didnt want him to know either.

 

The night Saruhiko almost died will forever be engraved in his brain, and he will forever be grateful to the man who had stopped that from happening. 

 

Taking more and more missons was helping him. It took his mind off things, he was using the power he always wanted, he was repaying Mikoto and he wasn't letting Saruhiko down.

 

He couldn't hurt anyone this way either.

 

Well...at least not anybody who didn't deserve it. 

 

He might have been getting a bit...brutal with his methods, but he just preffered a more hands on a approach, and it shouldn't matter as long as he got the job done.

 

Really, it turns out Misaki had a talent for fighting, and if busting bad guys was all he was good at, why wouldn't he use it?

 

There were so many pros to this, so he doesn't understand why Izumo was stopping him.

 

"No Yata. No more missions for now. Just... go and rest," Izumo orders firmly from his spot at the bar. 

 

There was no one else at the bar, so Misaki didn't even attempt to lower his voice.

 

"W-wha...WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I KNOW there was shit to do, I heard Eric complainin about it this morning. So why are you benching me!?" Misaki argues and Izumo lets out a deep sigh.

 

"Misaki...go sit down. We need to have a talk."

* * *

"So...Me, Tatara and Mikoto were talking the other day..." Izumo starts, lighting a cigarette. 

 

Misaki wills his leg to stop jiggling from the anxiety.

 

"...what about?"

 

"About you."

 

The leveled look Izumo makes Misaki's blood run cold but the headache is returning. 

 

_You fucked up again huh._

 

"We...noticed this before, but we had excused it at the time in hopes we had imagined it. But after the initiation, it just got worse...you've been surprisingly hiding it well that not even Saruhiko has caught on, but we can SEE it Yata."

 

"See what."

 

Misaki didn't want to look Izumo in the eye, didn't want to have this conversation, he wanted to leave.

 

"You're unstable Misaki."

 

When the words reached his ears Misaki sprang up.

 

No. He wouldn't believe that. He was normal. Normal and boring. People told him that everyday and now that he was finally accepting it, he's being told this bullshit!?

 

...Maybe a part of him believed it, and thats what scared him the most. 

 

He didn't want it to be confirmed.

 

But Izumo kept going.

 

"Your emotions are wild, like a flame. Your powers are reacting. Kamamoto has been telling me that the destruction in your missions are-"

 

"-KAMAMOTO WAS JUST THERE TO SPY ON ME!? Is THAT why he tagged along? Why you LET him tag along!?" Misaki reacts at the new found information, and Izumo is giving a warning glare.

 

"He's WORRIED Yata. We all are! You're becoming more out of control than Mikoto and at this rate..." 

 

Misaki crosses his arms.

 

"What do you suppose I DO then, if I can't do anything for Homra?"

 

The look of hesitation that crosses Izumo's face only happens for a second, but Misaki catches it, and he can see Izumo fiddling with his lighter. 

 

"W-well...I was talking to Seri about the situation, and we were thinking that maybe they would be able to help you if you were in...their...care..."

 

Izumo trails off when he sees the fury building up in Misaki. 

 

Misaki was shaking. 

 

"S-scepter 4... y-you want to send me away to Scepter  4? LIKE SOME OUT OF CONTROL STRAIN!? AHAHAHA I'M COMPLETLY NORMAL!"

 

"Yata calm down-"

 

"I AM FUCKING CALM! M-mikoto gets a little emotional and he's all king, but if it's me, I'm the POOR EMOTIONAL WRECK WHO NEEDS TO BE DETAINED!"

 

"Yata-" 

 

"YOU'RE ALL THE SAME! YOU WANT ME GONE! I'M NO GOOD ANYWHERE AHAHA ALWAYS ME ALWAYS AHA-"

 

"YATAGARASU MISAKI STOP NOW OR YOU'LL BURN THIS PLACE TO THE GROUND!" Izumo shouts, his powers at work placating Misaki and Misaki snaps out of it, panting as he looks around. 

 

There was smoke everywhere, and it was coming from him. His flames.

 

Misaki didn't even notice.

 

There was a tense silence as they got their bearings.

_...shit_

 

"I...I need to go out for a bit..." Misaki whispers, shakey legs exiting the bar.

 

He hears Izumo's steely voice following him out.

 

"You either control yourself...or I'll be forced to take this into my own hands."


	14. Chapter 14

Misaki didn't know exactly where he was going, so when he ends up at some playground with nobody around, he doesn't really complain and decides to sit at the swings, his head in his hands.

 

Everything was a mess. How did it end up this way?

 

Misaki didn't know what to do anymore...

 

"Lovely weather, wouldn't you say?" A deep baritone speaks from beside him, and it freaks Misaki out so much he falls to the floor. 

 

"T-t-the Blue King...Munakata Reisi." Misaki scowls at the absolute worst person he could see right now, just after being told he'd be detained like some prisoner in their fancy building. 

 

He could already feel the burning within him starting again.

 

"Oh, are you alright?" Munakata asks him casually, as if he wasn't the blue king, the rising captain of Scepter 4 the most powerful and influential men of the century, and Misaki wasn't some wild young red clansman ready to explode in a little play ground.

 

Munakata gives Misaki's shoulder a tap, and all the fire Misaki had just...disappeared. His headache was gone too, to his surprise. 

 

This truly was the power of a blue king. 

 

He's gone back to regular, old not special Misaki. Was this any better than unstable bomb feral Misaki?

 

A life behind glass doors keeping him restrained would be waiting for him  if he couldn't control himself. It made Misaki sad again, as he gives up, dusts himself off and sits himself down on the swing with a slight huff.

 

This was a weird arrangement, sitting on the swings with the Captain of Scepter 4. And he still hated them, the entire blue clan, but it just didn't seem worth it to fight right now.

 

The Blue King could most likely obliterate him in seconds anyways.

 

"Hm... how nostslgic. I had spoken to someone at this same park once long ago... it's a shame that had not ended that well...I am hoping this meeting will not suffer the same fate," Munakata says, observing the playground and the trees around them with a serene expression.

 

Ah. So he was here for Misaki. It puts Misaki on the defensive and Misaki doesn't say  anything in response to the blue king, his own way of rebelling against him. 

 

"... it was the red king, Mikoto Suoh. You remind me of him in some ways. You  are Yata Misaki, are you not?"

 

At the mention of his King's name, Misaki glances up, and he had already broken his litle rebellion he had going on. Misaki decided to just talk and get this over with.

 

"...Yes I'm Yata Misaki. You always this polite to the people you capture?" 

 

"...Oh? Who said anything about a capture?" Munakata raises an eyebrow at the red clansman, and it catches Misaki off guard. 

 

"I'll cut to the chase, Yata. From your stance and verbal cues I can tell that Kusanagi had informed you of our intent, but it seems like there has been a misunderstanding," Reisi adjusts his glasses. 

 

"Yes, Awashima and Izumo have been discussing your situation and have brought you to my attention, but not as a prisoner or anything you have in mind." 

 

Munakata is looking at him with a serious, businesslike expression.

 

 

 

"I'm interested in recruiting you as part of Scepter 4 special forces, under my jurisdiction as a member of the blue clan."


	15. Chapter 15

"No...there's no way, y-you can't be...that isn't..." 

 

Misaki stutters, eyes wide and mouth gaping.

 

Misaki didn't know what to say.

 

Out of all things he had expected Munakata to say...it was not that.

 

"Make no mistake Yatagarasu. I mean every word." Munakata  crosses his legs on the swing, and Misaki is kinda amazed how he can look so regal on it.

 

"But...but... why?" Misaki couldn't help asking.

 

Him in Scepter 4? 

 

Scepter 4 was all...business. They were calm and orderly and calculating.

 

Misaki was none of those.

 

If anything, it seemed like that was more of Saruhiko's thing. 

 

"Well Yatagarasu... I've done a few background checks and I've been led to believe that there are many benefits to taking you in." 

 

Munakata had gotten a small notebook out of nowhere.

 

"Kusanagi had in fact mentioned that you may get a bit...excessive in parallel to your emotions. However, locking you up will do you no good. It would be too much trouble, a waste of resources, and quite frankly, a waste of your potential."

 

"Potential?" Misaki repeats. He has never heard that before.

 

"Yes Yatagarasu. You are a very strong clansman and have the potential to become even more so, if you were being led on the right path. Locking you in a cell would do you no good, and in fact would only perturb your emotions and that isn't ideal for either of us, is it not?" 

 

Well, Misaki couldn't argue with that. He didn't want to hurt more people by just being a little angry.

 

"Secondly, I think that you in Scepter 4 could be a really big advantage...it would be an interesting combination."

 

Munakata's spectacles were gleaming and a smile was growing on his face.

 

"Let's not beat around the bush Yatagarasu. You are different. Unlike any of the clansman I have accepted into my ranks...but that's what makes you special. You would turn the tables in a fight with your wild fighting style...you would be our wild card, so to speak. If you allow us to polish you, the possibilities would be endless..." 

 

Misaki had expected to get upset at Munakata and his terribly stuffy way of speaking, but on contrary Misaki feels it was quite refreshing to be speaking with someone that didn't tip toe around him.

 

He was straight to the point and honest and seemed so put together as if he had back up plans for his back up plans and a bigger plan for all of those plans combined.

 

Thr blue king was the opposite of the Red King, and the opposite of Misaki  in every way. 

 

And Misaki wasn't stupid, he could see the reasoning in his head, and he was even doing some calculations on his own... but no amount of pros could outweigh Saruhiko. 

 

"Hn...you got some convincing arguments blue king, but I can't leave my clan, especially for the blue clan," Misaki finally tells him, catapulting himself from the swings and landing a few feet away. 

 

Munakata doesn't seem bothered by the rejection. On contrary, seemed to expect it.

 

"Oh it's quite alright. I had assumed you would say that. I cannot just ask you to leave Homra...to leave your friends. However I implore you think about it and I trust that you will weigh your options on what you deem is best."

 

Misaki does give a nod but keeps walking.

 

"Oh and Yatagarasu."

 

Misaki stops and looks back at the blue king, still smiling pleasantly.

 

"Scepter 4 isn't as evil as you seem to think it is. You might just be surprised."

 

Misaki gives him a smirk and even a small bow, walking away from the park.


	16. Chapter 16

 

When Misaki walks in, Izumo, who was talking to Kamamoto goes silent and stares at him.

 

"...hey," Misaki sheepishly greets, and Izumo smiles.

 

"Yata. About this morning-"

 

"-I'm sorry Kusanagi. I really lost my cool there."

 

Izumo gives a small sound of surprise at Misaki's abrupt apologies. He hadn't really expected Misaki to cool down this quickly.

 

"W-well, uh, sorry too Yata. I wasn't thinking of your feelings either," Izumo tells him as well, and Misaki is laughing.

 

Misaki is surprised too, on how he had actually calmed down. Although he wouldn't admit that Munakata had something to do with it, that's for sure.

 

 

 

_Joining Scepter 4 huh..._

 

 

 

Misaki is thoughtful for a moment, but then snorts. 

 

Him in Scepter 4 is seriously so ridiculous! After all Munakata said it himself, he couldn't ask Misaki to leave his friends, to leave Saruhiko.

 

 

 

_Saruhiko..._

 

 

 

"Hey Kusanagi...where's Saruhiko?" Misaki asks casually, not seeing him anywhere in the bar with his laptop like usual. 

 

"Oh he's on a solo mission today," Izumo tells him, and Misaki's face fell. 

 

"Ah I see... well I guess I'll just go hang out with Kamamoto and the guys today," Misako says walking over to the corner of the bar where they were all talking. 

 

He was really starting to miss Saruhiko.

* * *

"Saru! Let's go hang out today!" Misaki tells him when he FINALLY catches the boy, but is surprised when Saruhiko glares at him.

 

Misaki lets go of his shoulder like he was shocked with an electric current.

 

"I'm busy. Go hang out with the other idiots," Saruhiko tells him and leaves him and walks away, leaving Misaki frozen.

 

 

 

_What...what just happened...?_

 

 

 

Did Saruhiko just... no. Misaki is shaking his head. Saruhiko was just having a bad day right? 

 

"Yata you okay?" Kamamoto asks him, and Misaki jumps. 

 

"Yeah yeah I'm fine," Misaki replies robotically, his mind not really there. 

* * *

And it only gets worse from there. 

 

Misaki was trying so hard to get Saruhiko to talk to him, but he just kept pushing him away. 

 

Misaki's friends weren't helping him either. They seemed to think that it wasn't a good idea to have them in the same room, but it was just driving Misaki mad. 

 

_Why couldn't they just talk?_

 

Misaki felt like everyone was against him again.

 

He was alone among people who were supposed to be his friends.

 

Saruhiko, the person who once walked beside him was now continuing to walk forward without him, and Misaki didnt know what to do.


	17. Chapter 17

 

 

 

After a few days of this, Misaki feels absolutely miserable. 

 

_When did this happen?_

 

_Why did this happen?_

 

Misaki didn't feel like himself anymore.

 

Maybe they were all right. He was nothing without Saruhiko. He didn't even know what to do without him. 

 

Misaki just felt like a fool. Why did he ever think he could be more than who he was? 

 

Why did he ever think that someone lile Saruhiko would stay with someone like him. 

 

"Fushimi...why not go talk to Yata? He doesn't look well..." Tatara is telling Saruhiko in a low voice, but Misaki could still hear them. The bar wasnt that big.

 

"Tch, I'm busy with dealing with this stuff...I got other things to worry about."

 

And there it was. Misaki couldn't take it anymore. Everything just hurts. 

 

Misaki promptly stands up. 

 

He leaves without a word. 

 

He doesn't hear anything, he blocks it all out. 

* * *

Misaki doesn't know why he ends up at that same playground again, but he does, so he decided to just break down, punching and kicking anything in sight. 

 

"WHY WHY WHY WHY!" Misaki is screaming, while he punches a tree, which had been blown into dust until he was too tired to hit anymore.

 

He falls to the floor and just lies down, staring at the sky, that was slowly starting to become dark and dreary.

 

_Saruhiko... why...._

 

A shadow is cast over his face, and Misaki doesn't even have the energy to react when he sees that it's Munakata. 

 

Munakata isn't really looking at him, rather he was staring at the skies above.

 

"The weather doesn't look too good today, doesn't it?"

 

Misaki laughs.

 

"You have no idea."

* * *

It's kinda amazing that this is the second time he meets Munakata in such a weird place such as a playground, and Misaki says so. 

 

"I'll have you know, the first time I had seeked you out to give you that offer.  This second meeting is of pure coincidence," Munakata tells him.

 

"You here to finally detain me for all the shit I've caused?" Misaki laughs humorlessly, pointing at the destruction he had caused from his earlier fit.

 

"My, Scepter 4 has quite the reputation in your eyes hm? I've explicitly stated you would not be captured," Munakata sighs.

 

"You really do remind me of someone who similarly has to express himself when emotions get out of hand."

 

"I'm nothing like Mikoto," Misaki snaps, because he really isn't as together as Mikoto is. Mikoto is a king and people followed HIM, not trailing after everybody who left him like Misaki did.

 

"You aren't," Munakata agrees.

 

A small pause.

 

"...You could be better. Mikoto is going down a path that will only lead into his own destruction, and no one can do anything about it."

 

Munakata's eyes had hardened at the words and the bitter edge couldn't be denied, and Misaki could see him tense up. But hen Munakata looks at him, and his gaze softens.

 

"But you... you can still be saved. It is fine to walk together with others at times, and to create a map based on those who walk before us, but at the end of the day Yata, I'd rather you walk the path you have made for yourself." 

 

What Munakata tells him resounds in him.

 

"I get it... there's no fun playin a game with a walkthrough or havin someone play for you," Misaki says, nodding slowly.

 

"I, uh...don't really understand that analogy but yes, I suppose that," Munakata replies hesitantly and Misaki laughs at the all knowing blue king's bewilderment, but becomes somber.

 

He has been having Saruhiko play his games for him all this time.

 

"Your offer... it still stands right? I would think you would offer this gig to Saruhiko... you all remind me of him..."

 

"Yatagarasu. You should have a good assesment of my character by now, that I am a direct person. If I had wanted to recruit Fushimi, I would have. No, this is an offer only for you."

 

Misaki was thoughtful for a moment. Was he really going to do this?

 

He laughs.

 

They didn't need him anyways.

 

And he was controlling his path now. 

 

"Fine, I'll join you blues."


	18. Chapter 18

 

"I see you have made you choice," Munakata tells him, standing up and dusting himself off. 

 

Misaki is grim as he follows suit.

 

"Yeah."

 

Misaki thought with how wacked he's been acting that when he'd finally reach his breaking point it would be hell to pay, but instead he felt nothing. Not really calm, but as if a void had opened up and muted the world all around him.

 

Munakata seems to see something from the distance, and he puts a hand on his shoulder.

 

"Yatagarasu... there is someone who wants to speak with you. Take care."

 

It was subtle, but it felt like Munakata had given him his support.

 

Misaki could hear the footsteps running towards him and all Misaki could think of was how funny was it, that out of all the times Saruhiko comes to look for him, it is today. 

 

But Misaki's mind is made up, and not even Saruhiko could change his mind.

 

"Saruhiko...I need to talk to you," Misaki says without even looking back, instead staring above.

 

Munakata was right, the weather was terrible today. 

 

It looks like it was going to rain.

* * *

 

When Saruhiko pushes him against the wall, Misaki should have felt the pain, should have flinched or something, but Misaki couldn't really.

 

He was more glad to have Saruhiko looking at him again. 

 

Misaki said that he was controlling his path now, but when it came to Saruhiko, he just couldn't help it. 

 

Even his current decision was still driven by Saruhiko. 

 

Old habits die hard he supposed. 

 

"Misaki...tell me you're lying... it's a joke right? YOU WERE THE ONE ALWAYS SAYING HOW MUCH YOU HATED THE BLUES! HOW COME NOW..." Saruhiko was shouting, and Misaki smiled. 

 

The irony really was rich.

 

He did say he hated Scepter 4, but now he was joining them.

 

And it used to be Misaki being the emotional one and Saruhiko was the one who didn't react. 

 

It was something to smile about. 

 

"I just...had a talk with Munakata is all. Me joining Scepter 4 is a good thing."

 

And it was. He was needed there, it would be good for him, Munakata had the entire damn list of good things that convinced him, but Saruhiko couldn't see that, because Saruhiko was never looking.

 

"No... this is bullshit. You aren't the Misaki I know," Saruhiko mutters, and Misaki's eyes widen.  What he says strikes a chord in him.

 

How DARE he!? Saruhiko hasn't looked at him all this time...and here he is sprouting nonsense on the Misaki HE knew? 

 

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW NOW HUH? YOU BARELY EVEN LOOK AT ME ANYMORE! ARE WE EVEN FRIENDS? YOU AVOID ME LIKE I'M A DISEASE! YOU'RE NO BETTER THAN THOSE IDIOTS BACK IN MIDDLE SCHOOL!" Misaki explodes, no longer able to keep himself in check.

 

But Saruhiko fights back, and you can't say he wasn't Homra, because he fights fire with fire.

 

"Well you don't need me anymore, so I was just trying to make a graceful exit out your life. I stayed and played damn friendship for you all this time, well now you have this clan and Mikoto-san, and all you're talk about loyalty and friendship and family. I don't even need to know you well to say you wouldn't leave Homra because that's just how simplistic your mind is!" Saruhiko yells, and his eyes widen, immediately regretting the words he had said,, but it was too late. 

 

"Misaki no I didn't..."

 

The damage was already done.

 

Misaki thought Saruhiko was better than those assholes in middleschool. That he wasn't like Aya.

 

Thought they were friends.

 

But he was the same.

 

The same as all of them.

 

These past years of happiness was all a delusion. 

 

The Saruhiko that was smiling at him was all a lie. The truth was the one looking at him, terrified.

 

Why did he look so terrified anyways?

 

...Oh it was because of him. 

 

Misaki felt the pain in his heart sprout into little bits of laughter.

 

"Ahahaha... so that's what it is... I was hehehe...just you're little project huh...hahahaaa... just one of those things you need to fix...and now that I'm all better... YOU THROW ME AWAY! HAHAHAHA-" 

 

It was always so hot. And Misaki still couldn't tell just where it was coming from. 

 

"M-misaki..." Saruhiko mumbles and Misaki lets out another episode of laughter.

 

It's sad  that even until now, after all this pain, that hearing his name come out of Saruhiko's mouth still made him happy. 

 

He was such a fool. 

 

"Oh Saru... you're making that face...hahaha it's that face you make when you're trying to fix something... but I thought I was all better now! That's why you left..." Misaki tries to keep it together, but his voice is cracking.

 

 

 

_Who would want to be friends with a loser like him?_

 

 

 

_MY monkey? A friend? You're just more like his latest project right?_

 

 

 

_Why is a useless punk like you his only friend?_

 

Saruhiko was backing away from him, just like everyone else. 

 

"You're not Misaki anymore..."

 

Misaki tries to smile, but he could feel the tears leaking down his face.

 

He wasn't fooling anyone.

 

"I'll break so you'll fix me again..." Misaki whispers.

 

Yeah, this is the path he's choosing. 

 

"And you say that I'm such an idiot, talking about loyalty..."

 

Saruhiko was really looking at him now.

 

The red was gathering in his hand, all the heat around him these past few weeks was now concentrated on his palm, and his Homra tattoo seemed to throb in response at it all together glowing in front of him.

 

"How's this for loyalty?"


	19. Chapter 19

 

_"Thou shalt wield the power that resides in this serene universe..."_

 

 

Misaki is bowing before all of them, the entire blue clan, eyes closed, face solemn. 

 

 

_"Take into thy heart the sound it plays; to maintain order."_

 

 

Misaki can feel where his Homra tattoo once stood seeming to burn. He can't help but put a hand over it, almost to check if it actually was burning. When it wasn't, he kept it there to honor his new king. 

 

 

 

_"Thou art the guard of the blue cause."_

 

This was actually happening. This is what he will be. 

 

 

 

_"Pledge to this sword. That you will act out of your beliefs as proud men of the sword."_

 

 

 

Misaki stared at the blade before him, it gleamed in the light.

 

 

 

 To act on beliefs was all he had. 

 

 

 

Munakata gave him a long meaningful look, and then a nod, lifting the sword towards him.

 

 

 

 _"Take it."_  

 

 

 

When he had been a member of the red clan, he had taken a hand, together with one other person. Now he takes a sword, alone.

 

 

 

How times have changed, but this was his world now.

 

 

 

Misaki puts his hand on the weapon.

 

 

 

**_And he saw blue._ **

**Author's Note:**

> Oh it's done! It's finally complete!!! I'm so happy that I finally managed to finish this fanfic. This was so so very fun to write, and thank you so much for reading along with me. All the Kudos and the Comments really helped along and I'm proud for the first series that I've actually completed lmaooo~ so thanks again everyone for reading this fic and all the support! I really appreciate it!!!


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